Train Ride
by chalantness
Summary: September 1, 2017 for Rose, Scorpius, and Albus was the start of a beautiful friendship, and perhaps a little something more. And it all started with that first train ride...


**Characters/Pairings.** Rose Weasley x Scorpius Malfoy; Rose, Scorpius, & Albus friendship

Disclaimer: the Harry potter series © J.K. Rowling

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**Train Ride**

By sakuracherish814

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"Come on, everywhere else is full," Rose said as they reached one of the remaining compartments towards the end of the train. She reached for the handle before really bothering to check was inside, so was surprised when she threw open the door to find a boy sitting cross-legged by the window. A boy with very pale blonde hair and gray eyes. A boy that she faintly recognized…

The boy's eyes snapped towards the door and raised an eyebrow at them, but otherwise he remained expressionless.

"Um," Rose began, her cheeks flushing and her voice raising an octave or two (an embarrassing habit she'd picked up from her Mum whenever she was embarrassed. Thanks a lot, Mum.) "Everywhere else is fool… Do you mind if we, um…" Her voice trailed off.

"I don't mind," he replied, and he watched in silence as they closed the door behind them and entered sat down.

He'd recognized them from Platform 9 ¾ just a few minutes before bidding his parents farewell. The girl had wavy deep scarlet hair with bright cerulean eyes, while the boy had jet black hair and green eyes. He really hadn't been too curious about them in particular, or rather, it was _their parents_ that interested him. Upon just a mere glance of the boy's and girl's parents, his father stiffened noticeably, and he wondered what had gone on between them to induce that.

And then the girl gasped silently as if she just realized something, turning both his and the other boy's attention to her.

"You're Scorpius Malfoy, right?" she asked.

He arched an eyebrow again. "How do you know my name?"

"We saw you at the platform," she explained. "I, um, your dad knew our parents from when they went to Hogwarts or something like that."

_Well I guess that explains it_, Scorpius thought to himself. His school days had always been a touchy subject for his father.

"I'm Rose," she introduced. "Rose Weasley."

"Albus Potter," the other boy added.

Scorpius nodded at the names, and then, directing himself towards Albus, added, "'Potter'… as in…"

Rose and Albus smiled as if they were perfectly familiar with this situation.

"Yup. Harry Potter's my dad," he said, answering the unspoken question.

"Ah," was all Scorpius could say, and they lapsed into a silence.

But it was a strange silence; a silence that clearly none of them were familiar with, but it wasn't awkward. It wasn't a colder silence he sometimes encountered with his parents and family at home. It felt warmer and friendlier. Sitting with them, even in pure silence, felt strangely comfortable. He wondered if this was supposed to be some sort of sign or whatever.

"Is this your first year at Hogwarts?" Rose asked conversationally.

He nodded.

"Ours too."

Scorpius's lip quirked upward slightly. _Yeah I kind of figured that_, he thought to himself.

Rose and Albus smiled as well, almost as if they'd actually heard his thoughts.

"What house do you want to be in?" Albus questioned.

"Slytherin," he replied.

"Ambitious, eh?" Albus mused before turning to Rose. "We think Rose will be there, too. My cousin always gets what she wants."

"_No_," Rose laughed, and Scorpius had a hunch this wasn't the first time they've discussed this matter. "It's because I use tact whereas you just wing it." Then she paused, adding to Scorpius, "Not that I find anything wrong with Slytherin."

He dismissed this with a shrug, not offended. "Then that's Ravenclaw," he said and, turning to Albus, he added, "and let me guess: Gryffindor?"

Albus smiled and then nodded. "You bet."

"You've got your robes on already," Scorpius pointed out to Rose.

She beamed, but Albus cut her off before she could answer. "She's just impatient."

"I'm _excited_," she corrected, "not impatient. Honestly, Al…"

Albus and Scorpius looked at each other. "Definitely Ravenclaw," they said in unison.

She crossed her arms over her chest and feigned a pout. "You two are so mean. I'm not sure if I like this arrangement."

"I'm not mean, you're just dramatic," Albus countered. "And personally, I like this arrangement. Two-to-one. Right, Scorpius?"

The boy just laughed. "Don't anger her, Albus. Her face is starting to get as red as her hair."

"Scorpius!"

The three of them laughed.

Had interacting with his peers always been this _easy?_ He hadn't remembered ever _connecting_ to any of his friends back home like this. But talking with Rose and Albus was as if they'd known each other their whole lives rather than just a couple of minutes. Secretly he wondered of his being in Slytherin would change that, but they didn't _seem_ to be prejudiced towards the housing.

"You're going to pay for that!" Rose exclaimed, bringing him out of his thoughts as she lunged herself at him.

He laughed, grabbing her wrist, though her fingertips brushed against his side. He flinched.

She paused before a wicked smirk stretched across her face. "Score, you're not…_ticklish_ are you?"

His eyes widened slightly.

In the background, he heard Albus laugh. "Oh man, she's got you."

Her hands went for his sides again, and he flinched away.

They wrestled like that on the bench for what felt like a few minutes: Scorpius yelling "Rose! Rose, stop it, you're going to make us fall! _Rose!_", Rose yelling back "Hah! I'm not letting you get away too easily! Oh, come on, Score, you're worse than my brother…", and Albus in a fit of laughter as he watched them from the other bench.

"Come on, Ro, stop it!" he said, and she paused for a split second, and he took this opportunity to grab her wrists and hold them tightly.

But she didn't seem to notice, or pay attention to, his actions. "What did you call me?"

Scorpius blinked. "_Ro_, I think…"

Rose pulled her wrist back quickly, surprising Scorpius, but instead of trying to tickle him again, she tapped her chin as if pondering something.

"_Ro?_" Albus repeated as well, as if he were trying out the nickname. Then he smiled. "I like it."

"I love it!" Rose exclaimed. "Very refreshing from what my family calls me: _Rosie_."

Scorpius smiled. "Well, then, you're welcome, I guess…"

She laughed. "Okay, from this day forward, only you and Al will call me _Ro_. And I think I'll call you _Score_. And Al, well… he's just _Al_."

"Hey!" Al exclaimed, mocking an offended tone.

The three of them laughed again.

Then suddenly, the train jerked to a stop for a second, sending Rose (who was still standing) flying forward…

…And right on top of Scorpius, whose quick reflexes had caught her before she could hit the wall.

Their faces were extremely close, and for a few seconds it was quiet as they heard the sounds of the train being started up again.

Not a moment later, the door to the compartment opened, and a large woman with a trolley poked her head inside. "Anything sweet from the trolley?"

Scorpius smiled at the woman.

"No thanks. I've got my dessert right here."

And all the phoenixes in all of London could not compare the scarlet sheen of Rose Weasley's cheeks.

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**A/n.** PURE FLUFF RIGHT THERE! Fluff is my specialty, so sorry if it kind of didn't suit them. Hey! They're young and childish anyway…

Anywho, this was another spur-of-the-moment ficlets. Very short, very sweet. Usually I have Albus somewhat indifferent to Scorpius, but I also like the idea of Albus, Scorpius, and Rose as the new "golden trio." So it was _mainly_ about Rose x Scorpius, but I threw Albus in there too. I think those three will be the best of friends!

_So you read it. Love it? Hate it? Please review it!_


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